Trunk and suitcase fastener



C. E. DUGGAN Dec. 30. 1924;

TRUNK AND SUITCASE FASTENER Fiied July 2, 1924 Patented Dec. 30, 1924,

UNITED STTES sric A r r TRUNK AND SUITCASE FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. DUGGAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles' and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Trunk and Suitcase Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved fastener which is especially designed for use in connection with suit cases and trunks, although it is not necessarily restricted to this particular use. 7

In carrying out the present invention I aim primarily to generally improve upon devices of this class and especially upon my prior Patent No. 1339174. Briefly, this patent shows a fastener for the purpose specified which'is composed of a pair of attaching plates which are adapted to be respectively fastened to the stationaryand movable parts of a trunk. That plate which is fastened to the movable part is provided with a keeper, while the other plate has a lever pivotally connected thereto and carrying a bail for engagement with the keeper.

The pivot of the lever is eccentric and it is obvious that when the lever is swung to closed position, it exerts a pull upon the keeper through the medium of the bail for firmly holding the two plates together and for consequently fastening the cover of the trunkclosed. The attached end of the bail swings beyond dead center to automatically hold the bail in retaining position.

The present invention embodies the aforesaid structure but includes additional cletails. For instance, I provide a new type of mounting for the lever and I so construct this mounting to give it the additional function of a guide socket for reception of the guide tongues with which the keeper on the other section or plate is equipped. This makes forrigidity and assures proper alignment of parts.

The interpositioning of said mounting member between the pivot of the lever and the keeper also facilitates free swinging of the lever which was sometimes hindered in the patented device.

Anotherfeature of the present invention is to provide a key-controlled locking device Which is carried by the lever and which absolutely assures that the bail will be held in a locking position.

It follows too that it is an advantage of Application filed July 2, 1924. Serial No. 723,764..

the present invention in associating the key controlled lock with the lever and utihzing the pivoted ends of the bails for main taining the casing in position. This obvi- 0 ates the necessity of the employment of special fastenings.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the following description and drawings.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a trunk lock constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

I igure 3 is a central vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section on the line tl of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that, as before indicated, the present improved device comprises a pair of attaching plates 1 and 2 respectively which are substantially symmetrical and identical in. construction. Both of these plates are provided with suitably disposed apertures for passage of fastenings for securing them to the movable and stationary parts of the trunk or suit case. Also, the abutting edges of the sections have outwardly stamped portions 3 and 4 respectively which when brought together form substantially ovate protuberances on the front side of the device. The lower edge of the plate 1 is provided with laterally offset tongues 5 which are receivable in the channeled side of the plate indentations 4. Also, if desired, the upper plate 1 has a suitably shaped and designed handle 6 struck out therefrom.

Formed integral with or separate therefrom and attached thereto in any suitable fashion is a hollow part 7 which functions as a keeper, this being secured to the upper plate 1 adjacent its lower edge. As seen more clearly in Figure 3, the lower port on of the keeper is provided with a depending portion 8 which serves as a guide tongue. This guide tongue is slidably receivable in the socket provided by the presence of the hollow sheet metal mounting member. 9. This mounting member is provided with depending ears and the upper end of a lever 10 is pivoted between these ears, the level normally lying in contact with the face of the plate and having its lower free end fashioned to provide a finger piece ll by in cross section. Advantage :is taken otthis channel shaped construction of the lever and a key controlled lock mechanism casing 12,

is disposed between the fianges of the lever.

keeper 13 for holding the lever closed. It follows too that .the lever is provided .with a keyhole opening in alignment with the key operated part of the lock to permit oper- I ation ofthe latter. As in my patent, a heavy wire bailll is pivota'lly connected to and carriedby the intermediate portion oi, the

lever. As isobvious the bight portion of the bail is intended to engage in the seat 'formed in the upper end of the aforesaid keeper 7. It is through the medium ofthis bail and keeper that the two plates are held together. The pivot for the leveriseccentrically disposed and when the lever is swung toward the plate 2, the pivoted ends of thebail. swing beyond dead center? and its movement to the last named position is facilitated by the use of a fiat spring 15 with which the inturned end 16 of the lever coacts. It will be observed that the relation of the spring to the inturned end of the lever will permit the free end of the spring to exert a downward force against the end of the lever when the latter is swung outwardly at right angles so that it will be heldthrough the medium of the spring in such'a position. a

In practice, the attaching plates 1 and 2 are fixed in any suitable way to the parts of the trunk in the usual wayand when the plates come together, the tongues on the plate ,1 are slidably received in the sockets on the other plates to assure proper align ment of parts. Assuming that the lever is extending outwardly at right angles from the plate 2 and is held in this position through the medium of the spring 15, it will be'seen that by swinging the bight portion of the bail into the s eat of the keeper and exerting a downward push on the lever against the action of the spring, a drawing action will be exerted upon the bail to effectively connect the two plates together.

,Afterthe lever is lying flat against the plate, ,thekey controlled lock is actuated to V m'ain tam the parts in set position. p

At this point, I- wish to dir ct attention to the fact that the lock containing'casing l2;is solely held in position between the side flanges of theleverthrough the mediunr time permitsjre'ady removal ofthe casing:

by simply springing the ends of the bail out of'the openings in the side walls or flanges of the lever? and thence bodily re 7 V V -1noving the lock containing casing. The-casing is positioned adjacent the finger piece sothat the key controlled plunger may be projected through the opening in the I claim is it 7 l. A fastener of the class described com-- Having thus described the invention, what prising an attaching'plate, a le terpivotally mounted on the plate, .saidlever being substantially channel shaped 1n cross section, a lock contamingcasmg positioned between the side flanges: of sail leverpand a bail pivotally connectedto the ntermediate per tion of the leverand 'oonstituting thesole means for retaining said-"locked casing in position.

prising an attaching platera lever pivotally 2. A fastener of theclass described commounted on said plate, said lever bein'g'ot V channel shape in cross section, a lock-con.

taining 1 casin g disposed between" the flanges of said lever, the free end of the lever be ing directed. laterallyiinward towardthe plate to provide. anabutmentiwith which one end of the casmg'engages, and a ba l having the endsof'itszarms pivotallycon- I nectedtothe side flanges of saidxlever, said inwardly beyond said flangesand coacti'ng with thelelock casing'b ends projecting to maintain the latter in place.

3. A fastener of the class described comprising a pair of attaching plates,"the inner edges of; which are adapted to abut one another, a plurality oi gu de :andahgning tongues carried by one. of the plates and projecting beyond the inner edge thereof,

ion

a plurality of sockets provided on the remaining; plate and adapted for reception of said tongues, the intermediate sockets constituting a 1nountin,=; ;Imember,a,levcr pivotally'connected with said mounting, said lever being of channel shaped cross section a substantially U-shaped 'bail having the free ends of its arms jdirected inwardly .to-

. ward each. other, a lock casing' positioned be tween theflanges of saidlever, said flanges being provided with opposedopenings, and

keeper carried, by the first named plate, the bightportion of the'bail being adapted to be connected with said keeper; r

Intestimony whereof I affix mysi nature.

- r 'CHARLES 13. D GG N. 

